


Hellhounds and Tacos

by KucatsHouse



Category: The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Brotp, Clary Fray & Alec Lightwood Friendship, Gen, Post-Book 6: City of Heavenly Fire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-22
Updated: 2019-06-22
Packaged: 2020-05-16 10:56:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19316776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KucatsHouse/pseuds/KucatsHouse
Summary: Alec and Clary partner up for a mission - and it turns out very different than either of them expected.





	Hellhounds and Tacos

**Author's Note:**

> Characters and original story concept the property of Cassandra Clare.
> 
> This is a BROTP story between Alec and Clary, and I suspect not the last one I will write. It is meant to be lighthearted and is set a few months after the end of City of Heavenly Fire.

“This is not how I pictured my night going.”

Alec Lightwood sat sullenly on a park bench in the middle of Central Park. His bow was strapped to his back and he had his chin in his hands, elbows braced on his knees. It was dark and spring cold, which meant that the flowers were beginning to bloom but the nights were still chilly. Somewhere in the distance the sound of music and laughter filled the air. To his left was Clary Fairchild, leaning on the bench’s curved arm, thumbs flying across her phone as she spelled out a message. And on Alec’s right was a dog, a great dane to be exact, giant for its breed and black as night. The dog was whining softly and leaning against Alec’s leg.

This was supposed to be Alec’s night off. In fact, they were all supposed to have a night off. But then Maryse had called her children and Clary in when reports of two hellhounds had been spotted in Manhattan. Alec had volunteered to go with Clary to the Central Park location while Jace and Izzy went to Greenwich. 

Once Alec and Clary had arrived at the park, they quickly discovered two things: there was a rousing music festival taking place with more mundanes than they were in the mood to deal with, and the hellhound turned out to be a lost puppy. Albeit a rather large puppy, but still a puppy.

“Who mistakes a great dane for a demon hellhound?” Alec asked in exasperation. He gave the dog a sideways glance and received a low whine as a response. Even the dog seemed confused by the situation.

“Maybe they were drunk,” Clary replied with a shrug. She was more focused on her phone, scrolling through a series of rapid fire responses. “Or maybe it was a prank.”

“If I had to cancel plans because of a prank, I will not be happy.”

Clary nodded in understanding before pocketing her phone. “The owners are on their way. They said they would meet us here in ten minutes for Darcy.” Thankfully the great dane wore a collar with jangling tags. Apparently his name was Fitzwilliam Darcy and his owner’s phone number had been provided; Clary had been spending the last ten minutes exchanging texts regarding the missing dog.

For long moments, the pair waited in silence. Couples and groups of mundanes passed them on the way to the festival and chattering animatedly. No one paid the Shadowhunters any mind even though neither Alec nor Clary were glamoured, even if their weapons and gear were.

“Can I ask you a question?” Clary said quietly after a stretch of silence. Her voice sounded curious, but there was a seriousness to her gaze as she turned to Alec.

“You want to know why I picked you as my partner for this mission.” It wasn’t a question. Alec had been anticipating Clary’s inquiry ever since they left the Institute. He noted her nod out of the corner of his eye.

“It’s just…you seemed pretty keen on being my partner tonight. It’s not that we don’t make a great team, but you usually just let Maryse pair us up.”

He sat quietly for a moment, staring down at his hands as he collected his thoughts. “Actually, the reason I wanted you as my partner was because there was something I needed to say.”

“Yeah?” Clary turned to him expectantly, her hair flashing brightly even in the dark. 

But Alec didn’t have a chance to reply as a young couple appeared and shouted for Darcy, running towards them. The dog stood up suddenly and raced for his owners, tail wagging in delight. The couple turned out to be great readers of classic novels; they had recently moved to the city and were engaged to be married soon. They were very grateful to Clary and Alec, even insisting on a monetary reward but the pair declined and congratulated them on their happiness.

“I guess since our mission is done we can head back to the Institute,” Clary said as she waved to the couple as they left.

“I guess so.” But instead of heading back, they sat side by side on the bench. There was no real hurry in returning since both of their plans had been ruined. “Just curious, what were you and Jace planning tonight anyway? I know Izzy was going to visit Simon at the Academy, but Jace never said what you two were up to.”

Clary shrugged casually. “I’m not sure Jace would have enjoyed it anyway. I had been wanting to go to this pottery making studio for a few months. He was going to come with me after dinner tonight.”

It really didn’t sound like a very Jace thing to do, but Alec was sure his parabatai would like anything that Clary enjoyed.

“What about you?” Clary asked. “What were you and Magnus going to do?”

“Magnus was going to portal us to Kyoto for cherry blossom viewing. He said the trees in New York don’t quite compare.”

Clary tried to suppress her smile but was failing. “I’ll bet Magnus had a whole outfit planned for it.”

“With matching accessories.” The two of them shared a laugh, trying to picture which elaborate outfit the warlock would have chosen. “He wasn’t upset when I told him,” Alec continued with a faint sigh. “He said it’s early in the season and we still have time to go.”

Clary nodded before they fell into silence again. It wasn’t the awkward kind of silence, but an easy companionable one. Neither could remember exactly when they had grown accustomed to the other’s presence. It almost felt like it had always been that way despite the fact barely a year had passed since they first met - and that they didn’t always get along. There was, however, still something Alec needed to say, something that had been eating at him for months now. 

No better time than the present.

With a heavy sigh, Alec ran his hands through his hair in resignation. “I’m sorry.”

She blinked slowly, not sure if she heard correctly or not. “For what?” Clary asked carefully. She did her best not to flinch as Alec turned his full attention on her, blue eyes boring into her green. There was an intensity to his gaze she rarely saw off the battlefield. Clary could somewhat understand what demons saw when they faced Alec in combat, something akin to an avenging angel.

“For everything.” Despite his fierce look, his voice was soft and kind. “For treating you terribly when we first met. For the things I did and said when I knew better. I was angry…and scared.” Alec’s shoulders slumped as he leaned back on the bench, his body suddenly feeling weary but his eyes still bright and fixed on Clary. “You saw right through me, even the parts I didn’t want anyone to see. That terrified me because I didn’t know you, didn’t know what you would do or say.”

Clary reached over, her hand hesitating a moment before it came to rest lightly on Alec’s arm. “Alec, I don’t understand. You’ve already apologized to me.”

He shook his head, dark locks waving in his eyes. “I know, but a lot has happened since then. For the longest time, everyone referred to you as Valentine’s daughter. I knew they meant it to hurt you, and I hated it. I refused to think of you that way. But…sometimes, when things just weren’t going right…I couldn’t help but…” 

“Blame me?”

Alec sighed, a weary sound that seemed to come deep from his soul. “Yes. It wasn’t right, I know, but I just couldn’t help it. I…I was in a bad place for a while, especially with the whole thing with Sebastian and Jace. None of it was your doing.”

“Well…it might have been a little bit of my doing.” Clary scrunched up her face, wrinkling her nose as if she smelled something awful. “I did ask Raziel to bring Jace back. If I hadn’t, the whole mess with your parabatai bond wouldn’t have happened.”

“It’s still no excuse for thinking badly of you. You’ve had to make some hard decisions. I shouldn’t have taken it out on you - even if it was all in my head.” He fell silent for a moment; when next he spoke, Alec’s words were a near whisper. “Magnus has been telling me for weeks I should just talk to you.”

Realization dawned on Clary at his words. “So that’s why you wanted to come with me tonight.”

Alec nodded. He took Clary’s hand in his own - hers was just as scarred though so much smaller than his - squeezing her fingers lightly. “I’m sorry, Clary. For the things I’ve said and done to you. For blaming you for all that went wrong. For thinking badly of you when nothing was your fault. You’ve done so much for me. You saved Jace, all of us. I don’t know how to repay you.”

For a long moment, Clary sat quietly. Her gaze was steady as she studied Alec’s face. He never could completely hide how he felt; Clary had seen the blame and hurt at times although she never remarked on it. But she couldn’t be angry with Alec. He had spent a long time repressing who he really was and it had often manifested as anger. Clary had seen him change a great deal over the short time they knew each other.

With a smile, Clary leaned closer and gave his cheek a kiss. “Apology accepted - again. And you don’t have to repay me. We’re friends, Alec. We’re always there for each other. That’s what we do.”

“No.” The smile diminished slightly on Clary’s face before Alec pulled her into a hug. “That’s what family does,” he murmured into her hair. He felt rather than saw her smile against his shoulder before Clary returned the hug. 

Their moment was interrupted by the buzzing of Alec’s phone as he received a text from Jace. His parabatai and sister were still searching for their hellhound - which was, in fact, a genuine demon from hell - that apparently had evaded them by going into the sewers. 

“So…they are trudging around in sewer water right now?” Clary asked once Alec had relayed the message. 

“Guess so,” Alec replied, putting his phone back into his jacket.

“You think there are rats?”

“Probably.”

They sat quietly for a moment, Clary’s legs swinging freely while Alec’s fingers tapped a regular rhythm on his knee as they pondered the situation. “Well…better them than us,” Clary concluded.

“Yep.” There was a beat of silence before Alec waved vaguely behind him. “I think I saw a taco truck on our way here. Want to go?”

Clary looked thoughtful for a moment before standing. “Well, Jace and Izzy are going to be a while. And we haven’t eaten yet.”

Alec got to his feet, stretching before draping an arm around her shoulders. “Well reasoned, Fray. Let’s go.” For a while, the pair ambled along, passing a number of mundanes on their way to the music festival.

As they left the park and made their way down the street to where a number of food trucks were parked, Clary looked up at Alec. There was something she had to know, something that could make or break this friendship. “So, Alec, tell me something.”

“Yeah?”

“Do you prefer soft or hard shell tacos?”

Blue eye glanced sideways at her. “Ah, the ultimate question. Well, Jace and Izzy prefer hard shells. They are of the mind that tacos are only meant to be eaten with crunchy hard shells.”

“Simon likes soft shells better.” Green eyes looked up expectantly at Alec as they got in line. “What about you?”

Alec shrugged and grinned. “Why choose? They are tasty either way. Get them both.” His grin was matched by the bright one Clary gave back as she gave him a companionable hug.

“Oh, we’ll get along just fine, Lightwood.” 


End file.
